Clarinet key arrangement



May 19, 1959 T. F. M INTYRE, JR 7 0 CLARINET KEY WNGEMENT Filed Sept. 10, 1953 INV TOR w z y ATTORN United States Patent CLARINET KEY ARRANGEMENT Thomas F. McIntyre, Jr., Thomaston, Conn. Application September 10, 1953, Serial No. 379,323 2 Claims. (Cl. 84-382) The object of this invention is to provide a simplified key arrangement on the standard Boehm system clarinet.

A further object is to provide a key system of this type inwhich the A finger ring key assembly and the D extension key assembly limit the action of the top A key when the former are in their normal and/or operative positions.

Another object is to provide an instrument of the type described having a key arrangement in which the standard A key spring action is reversed, said key being also provided with a longitudinal extension toward the mouth piece of the instrument.

Another object is to provide an instrument of the type described in which the instrument body is provided with means adapted to accommodate an extension of the A finger ring key assembly to permit the top A key to be actuated by a biasing means adapted to urge said top A key towards its open position.

Another object is to provide an instrument of the type described in which the D key assembly is adapted to engage the longitudinal extension on the top A key when the A finger ring key assembly is actuated.

Another object is to provide an instrument of the type described in which the third tone hole is raised beyond the surface of the body of the instrument.

A further object is to provide a. clarinet in which the above and other objects may effectively be attained, said construction being such that the simplified fingering possible thereon will enable more people to play the clarinet and will permit more diflicult music to be written for this instrument.

The fingerings on the clarinet embodying my invention from the standard A key (second space-G clef) is facilitated to the following notes on the scale.

From A to Low E From A to Low F From A to Low Fit or Gb From A to Low G From A to Low Git or Ab From A to Low A From A to Low At or Bb From A to Low B From A to Low C From A to Low Cit or Db From A to Middle At or Bb From A to Middle B From A to Middle C From A to Middle Ci or Db From A to Middle D From A to Middle Di or Eb From A to Middle E From A to Middle F From A to Middle Fir or Gb From A to Middle G From A to Middle Git or Ab From A to High Cit or Db From A to High D 2 From -A to High D3? or Eb From A to High E From A to High F or to many other combinations.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation, partly broken away, of a clarinet embodying my invention, the position of the keys not forming a cated' thereon in dotted outline.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view on an enlarged scale of the embodiment shown in Fig. l, the usual keys being shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 3 represents a transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 represents a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the sectional views the dotted keys are omitted for the sake of clarity.

Broadly my invention comprises a key arrangement which includes a modified top A key, its biasing means, and means for controlling the action of said top A key ineluding a novel A finger ring key assembly and a novel D extension key assembly. Referring to the accompanying drawings the instrument body is denoted by 1, the top A key by 2, the A finger ring key assembly generally by 3 and the D extension key assembly generally by 4. A cut out or groove 5 is provided in the outer surface of the body 1 to accommodate the arm 6 which comprises the upper extremity of the A finger ring key assembly. This arm 6 is attached at an angle to a longitudinal member 7 fixed to another longitudinal member 8 which is rotatably mounted in posts 9 and 10 uprising from a plate 11 fixed to the body 1 as by screws 12. Extending from the last named longitudinal member is another longitudinal shaft 13 which carries an arm extending laterally therefrom, said arm being denoted by 14 and terminating in a finger ring 15 adapted to surround the raised third tone hole 16 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

The D extension key assembly is mounted primarily at its lower end in posts 17 and 18 and comprises a longitudinal member 19 movably mounted in said posts and carrying another longitudinal member 20 which terminates in an extension 21 adapted to engage the longitudinal extension 22 of the top A key stop.

The top A key is mounted on a transverse shaft 28 swung in posts 23 and 24 and includes a main rod 25 which terminates in a stop 26 and key 27, the stop 26 being provided with the longitudinal extension 22 which extends under the angled arm 21 of the D extension key assembly described above.

Both the A and D key assemblies are maintained in pre-operative position by any well known or approved means such as needle springs and their cooperating hooks. The hook is normally carried by the rockable element and overcomes the spring when the said element is rocked manually during the playing of the instrument, the spring and hook cooperating to return the assembly to its normal position when the force rocking the element is removed. As this construction is repeated several times on the instrument as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 only one will be described.

Springs 29 and 30 are mounted in posts 9 and 10 respectively and located in contact with hooks 31 and 32 carried by longitudinal member 8, so that the rocking of member 8 overcomes the normal bias of these part of my invention being indisprings which return said member to its normal condition when the rocking force thereon is removed.

' It will be understood that suitable pads or extraneous in noise eliminating devices may be applied where desired such as the cork or other substance at 33 on the extremity of arm 6 or at the base of the arm 14 terminat ing in finger ring 15. i

In operation manual pressure on ring 15 rocks shaft 13 by means of arm 14, and 13 being fixed to 8 which carries member 7 lowers arm 6 on the latter into groove 5 to permit key 27 to rock on shaft 28.

Likewise actuation of the D key ring assembly which is interconnected as described above maintains the top A key closed by means of its extension 22 engaging the D extension key assembly arm 21 which extends thereover, the purpose of this extension being to hold the A key down when the A finger ring 15 is pressed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that I have modified the instrument by addition rather than by substitution so that my invention permits operation either in the usual manner or by my greatly improved arrangement, as desired.

Since it is evident that various changes may be made in the construction, form, shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I do not'intend to be limited to the specific embodiment herein shown and described except as set forth in the appended claims.

'a 'h'ole,"a mouthpiece, a

l p 4 wh 1 l i i 1. Ina clarinet, a top A key, its pad, located to cover longitudinal extension of-the A key pad extending toward said mouthpiece and beyond said pad, and a D key ring assembly extended over said A key extension for maintaining said A key in its closed position, said D key ring assembly being provided with an extension for coaction with the top A key stop extension when said D key riiig assembly is actuated.

2. In a .clarinet a body, anextended top A key, a D extension key assembly and an A'fihgerring key assembly all mountedon said body, the D assembly surmountingone. end, of the extended ,top A key, the A. finger ring key assembly contacting the underside of the 'opposite end of the'lexten'ded A key. and .said body being grooved beneath one end of the extended top A key for receiving an extremity of the A finger ring key assembly when same is actuated.

7 References-Cited in the file of this patent Y UNITED STATES P TENT 

